Samhain: Reclaiming the Ancient Magic of Halloween
Before there were plastic skeletons and candy corn, before costume parties and pumpkin spice everything, there was Samhain. And it was sacred.
If you've ever felt like Halloween should mean something more—like there's a deeper magic hiding beneath the commercialised surface—you're right. There is. And it's been there all along, waiting for us to remember.
The Celtic Heart of Halloween
Samhain (pronounced "SOW-win") is an ancient Celtic festival that marked the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter—the "darker half" of the year. Celebrated from sunset on October 31st to sunset on November 1st, it was one of the four major Gaelic seasonal festivals, alongside Imbolc, Beltane, and Lughnasadh.
But Samhain was different. It was liminal. Mystical. A little bit eerie.
The Celts believed that on this night, the veil between our world and the Otherworld became thin—so thin that spirits could cross over. The dead could walk among the living. Ancestors could return home. And if you were paying attention, you might catch glimpses of things that usually remain hidden.
This wasn't about fear. It was about reverence. About remembering. About honouring the cycle of life and death that governs everything in nature.
When Irish and Scottish immigrants came to America in the 19th century, they brought Samhain with them. Over time, it blended with other traditions—Roman festivals honouring the dead, Christian All Saints' Day—and eventually transformed into the Halloween we know today. The costume parties and trick-or-treating? Those have roots in ancient practices too. People wore disguises to confuse wandering spirits. They left out food and drink for the souls of the dead.
The packaging changed, but the essence remained: Halloween is, at its core, a night to honour what has passed and to acknowledge the mysteries we cannot fully understand.
Why Embrace Your Celtic Roots?
You don't have to be Irish or Scottish to feel called to these traditions. Celtic spirituality speaks to something universal—a connection to nature, to seasons, to cycles, to the land itself.
Embracing these roots means:
- Recognising that you're part of something bigger than yourself
- Honouring your ancestors, whoever they were
- Living in rhythm with natural cycles instead of against them
- Finding meaning in darkness rather than only celebrating light
- Acknowledging death as a natural part of life, not something to fear
In our modern world, we've lost so much of this. We try to stay busy year-round. We light up the darkness. We've forgotten how to be still, how to listen, how to honor what's ending so something new can begin.
Samhain invites us back. Back to the wisdom our ancestors knew. Back to the magic that lives in the turning of seasons. Back to ourselves.
Creating Your Own Samhain Rituals at Home
You don't need fancy tools or years of training to honor this season. You just need intention. Here are some simple, meaningful ways to observe Samhain and settle into fall with purpose:
Light Candles for Your Ancestors
On the evening of October 31st, light a candle (or several) and place them in your windows. As you light them, speak the names of loved ones who have passed. Say them out loud. Tell a story about them. Thank them for what they gave you. This simple act creates a beacon, welcoming their spirits home.
Perform a Releasing Ritual
Write down what you're ready to let go of—habits, relationships, beliefs, pain, regrets. Be specific. Then, safely burn the paper (in a fireplace, candle flame, or cauldron), watching the smoke carry your release into the universe. As it burns, say: "I release what no longer serves me. I make space for what's meant for me."
Practice Divination
With the veil thin, this is a powerful time for divination. Pull tarot or oracle cards. Scry in a dark mirror or bowl of water. Meditate and listen for messages. Ask your questions. Pay attention to dreams. Write down what comes through.
Cook a Soul Supper
Prepare a meal with seasonal ingredients—root vegetables, apples, squash, hearty grains. As you cook, think about abundance, about what the earth has provided, about the cycle of growth and harvest. Eat slowly. Taste everything. Feel gratitude.
Settling Into Fall, Preparing for Winter
Samhain isn't just about one night. It's a threshold. It marks the beginning of the introspective season, when nature asks us to slow down, go inward, and rest.
Use this time to:
- Make your home cozy and warm—a sanctuary against the cold
- Stock up on nourishing foods, warm drinks, good books
- Clear out what you don't need (physical clutter and emotional baggage)
- Start going to bed earlier, honouring your body's need for more rest
- Plan for quiet months ahead—fewer obligations, more reflection
- Tend to your inner world the way you'd tend a garden in winter
The darkness isn't something to fight. It's something to settle into, to learn from, to let transform you.
An Invitation
This Samhain, whether you call it that or Halloween or just "the end of October," I invite you to pause. To remember. To honor what you are letting go of. To light a candle for someone you miss. To feel the mystery of this thin-veiled night.
You come from a long line of people who knew how to do this—who understood that darkness is sacred, that the seasons are teachers, that our ancestors are never truly gone.
That wisdom is still in you. It's in your bones. It's waiting for you to remember.
So create your altar. Light your candles. Release what's heavy. Welcome what's coming.
Honour the season. Honour yourself.
Welcome home to Samhain.